Neil Young has canceled plans to play a free concert in Ukraine, saying he couldn’t “in good conscience” take his crew into the war-torn country.
“We had a good venue, close to a shelter, but the changing situation on the ground was too much,” Young wrote on his website. “I could not in good conscience take my crew and instruments into that area. My apologies to all. Ukraine is a great country with a good leader. Slava Ukraini”
Young announced the show earlier this month, but didn’t follow up with specific details like a date and location. He previously described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “the crazy war of an old dying guy who wants to relive his life and make things better for himself because of mistakes he thinks were made 50 years ago.”
More recently, Young gave a harsh assessment of how Putin’s pal, President Trump, has been leading the United States. “Under 47’s leadership, the US has lost its standing,” he wrote. “Loyalists will never be stronger than Patriots, and Patriots are in the majority here in the USA. Our Patriots will take to the streets to peacefully demonstrate. There will be a moment of truth in our country and we will show the world who we really are. The USA will again be the leader of the Free World.”
In June, Young and his new band, the chrome hearts, will kick off the UK/European leg of their “love earth world tour,” followed by a North American run beginning in August. Tickets can be purchased here.